


Reunion

by pickyourselfupfred



Series: Fred and Ginger forever [2]
Category: Astaire/Rogers RPF, Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers Movies
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-27
Updated: 2014-11-27
Packaged: 2018-02-27 05:11:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2680373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickyourselfupfred/pseuds/pickyourselfupfred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Second part of a story I really want to tell. F and G meet up again in Hollywood. This is for Samantha the first person to comment on my work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

When Ginger went out to Hollywood Fred wished her all the best and was happy for her to make the most of her opportunity. They knew it would be heart breaking for them not to be together but hoped they would be reunited before too long when his theatre commitments were over. He wrote her lots of long letters and tried to catch her movies but, for some reason, he hardly ever heard from her. Reluctantly as time went on he came to think that she no longer loved him. He went out and met other girls and found in Phyllis Potter someone he thought could make him happy again. She wasn’t like Ginger, no one could be. She was reserved and hated show business but he knew he had to move on and with Delly’s retirement he had to concentrate on his career.

When the offer came from Hollywood he determined that if he met Ginger there he’d be polite to her but keep his distance. Consequently when his boss at RKO phoned to say he would be dancing with her in his first film for them he was rather more flustered than he expected. He said no immediately but at this stage in his career he didn’t have a choice in casting. He was an unknown in movies, she was becoming a star.

Their first meeting was at the rehearsal studio. Fred muttered to himself as a kind of mantra, ‘Polite but detached’. It took two words to undo all his best intentions.

‘Hi Fred’.

His heart flipped over. Being opposite those gorgeous blue eyes and once again hearing her soft, seductive voice made him realise he felt exactly the same about her as in New York. She was the love of his life.

As she extended her right hand to shake his, he noticed she wore his ring. Moreover as he sought her eyes he saw his dancer’s brooch on the lapel of her jacket. He bit down hard on his cheek.  
‘Hello, Ginger, I didn’t expect to see you again’, he said as coldly as he could.  
He saw a flash of surprise in her eyes. He didn’t suspect she was in a whirl of emotions as well; she was far too good an actress to reveal that.  
‘I’m so sorry I didn’t keep in touch Fred’.  
‘That’s ok, I expect you were busy’.  
‘I was but that’s no excuse’.  
‘I’ve been busy myself ‘, he answered, ‘I’m married now you know’.  
As he spoke the words he couldn’t believe how cruel he was being to her, especially when her saw her fingers twisting the ring. It was his only defence he thought bitterly.  
‘ Well I guess we’ll have some fun’, she stammered.  
‘There’ll be plenty of hard work and no time for fun’, he responded.  
At this point the publicity manager chimed in.  
‘ Say didn’t you two know each other in New York?’  
‘Yes, a little’, said Fred, unable to look at her face.  
‘Well you can both catch up on old times when rehearsals start tomorrow.  
‘I’ll see you then Fred’.  
She turned and left the room. He didn’t see the tears.

For each of them that night was a torment of recriminations. Fred knew he loved her still, more than anything in his life, but he kept saying to himself, ‘I’ve got a wife. It’s not fair to her’. How, though, he longed to kiss his girl again.  
Ginger had never fallen out of love with him but had let her career and ambition take her away from the man she adored. This morning’s meeting, however, had convinced her that he no longer wanted anything to do with her. She had his gifts to remind her of what they had been to each other, that’s why she had worn them, but she knew she had been unfair to him. He was married and she had no right to expect his love again.

At that first rehearsal next day he was still aloof and serious. He explained his ideas for the dance they’d do and told her they’d both be working with another dancer she might know, Hermes Pan.  
‘I’ll work through the routines with him and he can teach you your part’.  
‘Oh’, she replied, ‘ I worked with him in New York. He’s a great guy. When do I get to dance with you though?’  
When Pan thinks you’re ready, you’re not a proper dancer after all’.

The rest of the day was agony for them both. Pan came in later and Ginger was dismissed from the room whilst they worked on the routine. During the next couple of days they hardly spoke with Pan acting almost as an intermediary. When he came up with a gimmick idea for the dance Fred didn’t know what to do. He’d managed to keep her almost at arm’s length for the most part when all he wanted was to hold her tightly against him. Now Pan was suggesting they touch foreheads. The moment had now come, one they were both dreading and yet desperate for. Fred took her in his arms. God it felt so good. She was pulled into his body in preparation for the dance and both leaned forward to touch heads.

Their eyes locked, their lips were almost touching and in both their minds they were back in New York after making love.

Fred pulled back, ‘This is stupid Pan. I can’t dance like this’.  
‘Come on Fred give it a chance’, he replied.

So they did and little by little Ginger began to see more of her old Fred as, despite himself, he smiled at her in that quirky little way of his. He couldn’t help himself, he loved to dance with her and the frostiness that he had tried to maintain began to thaw just a bit. 

Rehearsals became so much easier now. He knew he couldn’t, shouldn’t ever tell her how he really felt. She knew she’d lost him, her own stupid fault, but consoled herself by rejoicing in just being in proximity to him. She also knew and it hurt, she was going to have to move on herself in her own personal life. She couldn’t moon after a married man and Fred had made it clear they had no future.

Shooting took very little time as they were only supporting players and Fred knew he was off to England with his next play, ‘The Gay Divorce’. A few months away with Phyllis and he’d put all this behind him and besides he’d probably never make a picture with Ginger again. After their last scene together he shook her hand and turned to go.  
‘Just one thing Fred. Back in New York you said you’d love to make a movie with me’.  
‘Yes’, he remembered saying it to her as they lay in each other’s arms.  
‘ Well I’d just like to say that it was good to make this picture with you. Perhaps we’ll do another some day. Thanks for everything’.

She was gone before he could reply. Was this really the end?


End file.
